On a nearly barren platform a few hundred yards out in Chesapeake Bay, an osprey struggled last Sunday to build a nest. But his twigs and branches kept tumbling back in the water, keeping this bird from moving forward in life.

And hed just flown 3,000 miles to get here.

Feeling like Mr. Osprey these days?

Officially as of March 20, its spring  the time of bursting forth, moving ahead and getting in sync with life again.

But for so many of us, something is standing in the way, a giant, hulking vulture in the sky: war with Iraq.

The specter of this Iraq invasion has been with us seemingly forever, disrupting our lives and the economy and instilling in all of us a sense of foreboding.

Chesapeake Country, of course, has a sizable government, military and journalism presence, so many of us have been sucked into this troubling obsession with war emanating from the White House. Our proximity to Washington is such that were subjected to the Duct-Tape-and-Plastic thinking whether its warranted or not.

This Sunday, The Washington Post told us to larder up on Pop-Tarts and Spam, for attacks on our soil are possible, if not probable, when we enrage millions of people around the world by Blitzkrieging a historic land smack in the middle of the Arab word.

In these times, we cant be blamed for feeling nervous, not to mention angry and dismayed. Our lives have been put on hold, if not jeopardized, and most of us feel powerless. So what can we do about it? Not much, unfortunately, as far as controlling world events.

So what are we to do? We dont claim to have any cure for the madness in the world, but we have a few tips to ward off personal madness:

Count the signs of spring. Spring doesnt wait for the cherry blossoms, which wont peak until mid-April this year. Look around in your yard, and youll see less splash but just as certain signs of spring in buds fattening, early maples and pussy willow bursting, green shoots pushing through the dirt and grass sneaking out from under the wet winter leaf cover

Enjoy the increasing daylight. Its bright and beautiful early now, with spring equinox March 20 bringing us 12 full hours of daylight. The big red sun rises at 6:12 March 20 and earlier day by day until June 21, the summer solstice, by which time well be enjoying an additional 90 minutes more daylight each morning. In the evening, that daylight stretches out only about 20 true minutes, but the coming of Daylight Savings Time will make it seem like 80 minutes, as the sun sets at 6:20 with the equinox but not until 8:35 in the evening three months hence.

Dont tie yourself in knots with worries. Use our pages to find a massage therapist, acupuncturist or exercise class to get your chi flowing and reconnect your body with your mind and spirit.

Forget the Spam and Pop-Tarts. Spring fruits and vegetables are in grocery stores now. The first local produce of spring  asparagus and herbs  is not many weeks away. Over the next few weeks, the ground will be warm enough to seed cool crops: lettuce, peas, potatoes and onions. Instead of junk food with all its fat, sugar and empty calories, stock up on vegetables and fruit  which come canned and dried (maybe you even put up your own) to tide your family over if the dark days indeed come.